Many electronic components within integrated circuits are sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD) and other forms of voltage spikes. An ESD event is a sudden flow of electricity between two or more objects. The electrical flow can be initiated in several ways, such as electrical contact, human handling, and various manufacturing and assembly processes. The static electricity developed by walking across a carpet can be enough to damage some devices, where static electricity often has very high voltage. In many cases, an ESD event will damage or destroy one or more electronic components in an integrated circuit, and ESD events are common.
Various techniques are used to prevent electronic component damage due to ESD events. For example, manufacturers may utilize electrostatic protective areas that are essentially free of static electricity. This can involve several measures, such as avoiding the use of highly charging materials, grounding objects and/or workers, and controlling humidity. Many integrated circuits are transported in special containers that help prevent damage from ESD events, such as anti-static bags that include partially conductive plastics or other conductive materials. However, it may be difficult or impossible to prevent ESD events for integrated circuits in use. For example, an integrated circuit included in a motor vehicle is exposed to many different conditions with the motor vehicle, so prevention of ESD events is difficult. ESD events for many handheld devices, portable devices, and even fixed electronic devices are common, and it is difficult to prevent ESD events from happening. Some integrated circuits include design features to protect electronic components, but such protection has limits.
Many components in an integrated circuit are protected by an ESD circuit, where the ESD circuit includes an ESD transistor. Some high voltage devices, such as devices with a working voltage of about 5 volts or more, include a high voltage type of ESD transistor. The high voltage ESD transistor should have a trigger voltage and a holding voltage that are within design specifications for a protected circuit, but high voltage ESD transistor designs tend to require larger footprints as the designed trigger and holding voltages increase. Integrated circuits designers generally prefer smaller and smaller components with comparable operability, so the increased size of high voltage ESD transistors with high trigger and holding voltages is not favored.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide integrated circuits with an ESD transistor having a high trigger and holding voltage while also having a small footprint, compared to traditional devices, and methods of producing the same. In addition, it is desirable to provide integrated circuits with a high voltage ESD transistor that is capable of carrying larger current loads than traditional devices having a similarly sized ESD transistor, and methods of producing the same. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present embodiment will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.